Welcome Families

Mr Jones

Associate Assistant Headteacher

Ben.Jones@E-ACT.org.uk

Session Aims:

• To provide key information about your child’s GCSE courses and examinations.

• To discuss strategies to support your child to their do their very best.

The changing face of the GCSE examinations and results:

How we are supporting your child?

- Quality first Teaching in the classrooms

- After school to commence in October

- Half term and holiday sessions

- Saturday School

How can you support your child?

Revision…the importance of it!

It’s NOT just needed in April / May 2019.

Revising – the recalling of knowledge and understanding– is needed throughout the year so that students areembedding their learning all the time.

Lateness = Lost Learning

5 minutes late each day 3 days lost

10 minutes late each day 6.5 days lost

15 minutes late each day 10 days lost

20 minutes late each day 13 days lost

30 minutes late each day 19 days lost

Punctuality: Getting to school on time

• About 27 schools weeks to the first exam (in May 2019)

• Increased importance of exams

• Greater focus on recall / remembering / application in the exam

What does this mean?

• Attendance - crucial

• Focus in lessons - consistently

• Homework completion - developing learning

Prom & Celebration day

… Fantastic attendance (minimum of 95%)

… Excellent conduct and attitude to learning

…Punctual

Key information for the Core subjects:

MathsMiss Boneham: Head of Maths

There are two tiers:- Foundation tier: grades 1 to 5 available- Higher tier: grades 4 to 9 available (grade 3 also allowed)

The assessment for each tier of entry consists of 3 externally-examined papers. Overview of content for all 3 papers:1. Number2. Algebra3. Ratio, proportion and rates of change4. Geometry and measures5. Probability6. Statistics

• Practise!

• Practise!

• Practise!

EnglishMr Bailey:

Head of English

No Controlled Assessment for

either paper

Mr Bruff

• Huge variety of videos on all sections of the exam, but particularly the anthology poetry for Literature Paper 2.

• Also have eBooks and hard copies of these available through website and Amazon.com

Useful Websites/Apps

• www.aqa.org.uk – Exam board

• www.gcsepod.com – Podcasts

• www.bbc.co.uk/education - BBC Bitesize (has an app too)

• www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/english - BBC Skillswise

• www.lettersofnote.com – Poignant letters over time

• www.sparknotes.com – Study guides for set texts

• Memrise – an app to help with terminology/ factual recall

• Kindle – an app for reading the set texts

ScienceMr Johnston:

Head of EnglishSix exams of 1 hour 15 mins each

2 x Biology

2 x Chemistry

2 x Physics

Six exams of 1 hours 45 mins each due to more content

2 x Biology

2 x Chemistry

2 x Physics

GCSE Combined Science worth 2 GCSEs (Most)

GCSE Triple Science worth 3 GCSEs (Option)

Assessment / Grading Structure:

There are two tiers:

- Foundation tier: Grades 1 to 5

- Higher tier: Grades 4 to 9

- Double grades for Combined Science e.g. 5-5 or 5-4

Key Dates

• Mock Exams

W/C 19th November 2018 &

W/C 4th February 2019

• Step to Success Evening

Thursday 18th October 2018

• Two Progress Evenings in Year 11

Thursday 13th December 2018 &

Thursday 14th March 2019

Thank you